Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 April 2019
48. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the claims of the Defences Forces occupational social workers for being regarded as senior single-handed practitioner grade (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18376/19]
View answerOccupational social workers are employed as civilian employees by my Department on a payscale commensurate to the HSE payscale for Professionally Qualified Social Workers. There are established mechanisms for the management of industrial relations for the employees of my Department and the wider public sector. Any requests for re-grading or pay increases are considered in the context of the Public Service Stability (and predecessor) Agreement(s), and the parties to those agreements have agreed that cost increasing claims are not permissible under those Agreements.
